An Introduction to

Electrical Engineering

What is electrical engineering?

The study of ELECTRICITY along with its

numerous applications

A brief history
In 1600, William Gilbert called
the property of attracting
particles after being rubbed
electricus.
De Magnete was a treatise of
electricity and magnetism,
noting a long list of elements
that could be electrified.
Gilbert invented the versorium,
a device that detected
statically-charged bodies
William Gilbert, arguably the first electrical engineer
A versorium

A brief history
1800 voltaic pile developed by Alessandro
Volta, a precursor to the battery

Voltaic pile

1831 Michael Faraday discovers

electromagnetic induction

Circuits containing inductors

1873 Electricity and Magnetism

published by James Maxwell, describing
a theory for electromagnetism
Maxwells equations

A brief history
1888 Heinrich Hertz transmits and
receives radio signals

Spark-gap transmitter

1941 Konrad Zuse introduces the first

ever programmable computer

Z3 computer

1947 invention of transistor

Transistor

A brief history
1958 integrated circuit
developed by Jack Kilby

Integrated circuits

1968 first microprocessor is

developed

Microprocessor

So where is the field now?

Fields of study
Power:
Creation, storage, and distribution of electricity
Control:
Design of dynamic systems and controllers for the
systems
Electronics/Microelectronics:
Design of integrated circuits, microprocessors, etc.
Signal Processing: Analysis of signals

Fields of study
Telecommunications:
Design of transmission systems (voice, data)

Computer:
Design and development of computer systems

Instrumentation:
Design of sensors and data acquisition equipment

Basic concepts
Electricity
Charge
Current
Voltage
Power and Energy

Electricity
Physical phenomenon arising from the
existence and interactions of electric charge

Charge

Where can we observe/experience/use charge?

Charge
Characteristic property of subatomic
particles responsible for electric phenomena
Electron

1.6021019 C

1.6021019 C

Proton

The unit of quantity of electric charge is coloumb (C)

1 coloumb = 6.25 1018 e

e = elementary charge = charge of proton

Charge
Charged particles exhibit forces

Like charges repel each other

Opposite charges attract one another

Charge is the source of one of the fundamental forces in nature (others?)

Coulombs Law
q1

q2
r (meters)

(Newtons)

F1,2 is the electrostatic force exerted on charge 1 due

to the presence of charge 2

ke is the Coulomb constant

ke = 8.987 x 109 N*m2*C-2

Electric current

Describes charge in motion, the flow of charge

This phenomenon can result from moving electrons in a

conductive material or moving ions in charged solutions

Electric current

An ampere (A) is the number of electrons having a total

charge of 1 C moving through a given cross section in 1 s.

As defined, current flows in direction of positive charge flow

Electrical Circuits

Electric circuit
An electric circuit is an interconnection of electrical elements
linked together in a closed path so that electric current may
flow continuously

Circuit diagrams are the standard for electrical engineers

Rate of flow of charge form node a to node b

Rate of flow of charge form node b to node a

(i = current)

A direct current (dc) is a current of constant magnitude

An alternating current (ac) is a current of varying

magnitude and direction

Voltage
Driving force of electrical current between two points

Vab

Voltage at terminal a with respect to terminal b

Vba

Voltage at terminal b with respect to terminal a

Vab = -Vba
Note: In a circuit, voltage is often defined relative to ground

Example: Resistors in parallel

The resistors in a parallel circuit are 680 , 1.5 k, and 2.2 k.
What is the total resistance?

Voltage across each resistor?

Current through each resistor?